Terminal connections for lamp guard sockets or the like



Jan. 17, 1933. H, G, LEW 1,894,538

TERMINAL CONNECTIONS FOR LAMP GUARD SOCKETS OR THE LIKE Filed July 13. 1927 Patented Jan. 17, 1933 UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE HENRY G. LEWIS, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ssIGNoIt T ELECTRIC SERV- ICE SUPPLIES COMPANY, OF OF PENNSYLVANIA PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION TERMINAL. CONNECTIONS non LAMP GUARD sooxE'rs OR THE LIKE} Application filed July 13,

My invention is designed to provide means for taking care of pulls, thrusts or twists upon a sheathed electric cord or cable and to eliminate or minimize the transmission thereof to projecting unsheathed conductors of the cord or the connections thereof with terminals of plugs, sockets or other electrode carrying members. This is efiected by securely clamping to the cord, at a point removed from its terminal connections, a device cooperating with the terminal carrying plug and the support or housing therefor to prevent pulling, thrusting or turning of the cord section or conductors between the place of application of the clamp to the cord and the terminals.

My improvements are particularly applicable to such devices as trouble lamps having a holder forming a handle for a lamp socket plug housed in the holder and commonly provided with a wire guard protectln'g the bulb. By the incorporation of my improvements in such devices, the strain is taken off the terminal connections and transmitted to the holder directly or through the plug housed therein; twisting and vibration of the small copper strands of the unsheathed conductors is avoided; the clamping means are entirely concealed and cannot in any way contact with the hand of the user; and the clamping means can be shipped in assembled relation and are unlikely to be overlooked or discarded. means which I have devised are adjustable to a a large variety of heavy duty cords differing considerably in diameter; the clamping means can be applied before or after the electrical connections are made and do not interfere with disassembly of the apparatus; and the clamping means can be repeatedly used on different devices. I

The characteristic features and advantages of my improvements will more fully appear from the following description and the ac- Furthermore the clamping.

1927. Serial No. 205,381.

of a lamp holder embodying myimprovements; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof; Fig. 3 is a detached view of the plug containing the lamp socket and attached cord, with the clamping device turned at right angles to the position shown in Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is an end View ofthe structure shown in Fig. 3. i

As illustrated inthe drawing,- a holder 1, preferably of insulating material shaped to form a handle terminating in an enlarged head, has a cord passage 2 extending axially therethrough and communicating withwa recess or socket 3. A flanged terminal carrying shell 4 isdisposed in the recess 3 and may be secured in place by any suitable means, such as the screws 5; Terminals 6 carried by the plug may be connected with any desired form of electrodes, such, for instance as the shell and base of a conventional socket forthe'reception of an electric lamp 7 A cord 8, comprising conductors 9 encased in a heavy sheathing 10 of rubber or other insulating material, extends through; the

passage 2 and the fine copper strands forming the conductors are bent around the shanks and pressed by the heads of the terminal screws 6. The inherent strength of the conductor wires and the hold of the terminal screws thereon is not very great, and the wires are likely to be broken or disengaged by pulling, twisting, or thrusting the cord,

in the periphery of the plug 4. The yoke arms make a relatively close fit in the recesses 15 so as to prevent substantial movement of the cord and plug toward one another or relative turning movement of these parts.

Curved bearings 16 project from the collar 11 opposite the arms 14: and bear against the bottom of the socket 3 when the plug is positioned in the socket, thereby transmitting any pull on the cord through the clamp to the holder and preventing any strain on the projecting conductor wires 9 or on their connections with the terminals 6.

It will be obvious that my improvements are susceptible of advantageous use in other devices than lamp holders, and my invention comprehends the utilization of clamping means directly engaging a cord or cable and transmitting pull, thrust or twist to a hearing or bearings so as to prevent strain on conductors or terminal connections therefor, as set forth in the appended claims.

' Having described my invention, I claim:

1. The combination with a holder containing a socket, a terminal carrying shell disposed in said socket and provided with terminals, and a cord having conductors connected with said terminals, ofa screw clamp connected with said cord and bearing against a wall of said socket, said clamp having a yoke telescoped on said shelL, I

2. The combination with a holder, a terminal-carrying shell housed by said holder and provided with terminals and a cord connected with said terminals, of a device comprising a yoke telescoped over the wall of said shell and a collar engaging said cord.

3. A holder containinga socket and a bore, a member seated in said socket and having a flange closing the mouth thereof opposite said bore, a cord extending through said bore 1 p and secured to said member, a collar clamped on said cord, arms on said collar making a her and against movement away from said member by the bottom of said socket.

6. The combination with a holder containing a socket, a terminal carrying shell disposed in said socket and provided with terminals and recesses extending axially along the peripheral surface of said shell, and a cord having conductors connected with said terminals, of a clamp engaging said cord and having members engaged in said recesses and making a sliding connection with said shell.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 11th day of July 1927. 3

' HENRY" G. LEWIS; I

sliding connection with said member, and

arms on said collar normally engaging th bottom of said socket.

4. A holder containing a socket, a member seated in said socket, a cord connected with said member, a clamp secured to said cord,

members on said clamp making a sliding.

non-rotatable connection with said seated member, members connected with said clamp and bearing against the bottom of said socket, and means independent of said clamp for preventing relative movement of said first named member and holder.

5. A holder containing a socket and a bore, a grooved member seated in said socket and having a flange fixed to said holder, a cord in said bore and connected with said memher, and a clamp secured to said cord and having arms making a sliding connection With said member and held against rotation by engagement in the grooves of said' mem- 

